A normal skin barrier is thick and in the stratum corneum the corneodesmosomes are intact and the outermost layers of dead skin cells flake off in a barely detectable manner, as the outermost binders snap and release the unwanted cells. However, in atopic eczema or dermatitis, and other dry skin disorders, the skin barrier is typically thinner than normal so the skin's protective and regulatory capacities are compromised. As the skin barrier breaks down, cracks appear in the skin barrier which allows allergens such as dust mites and bacteria to enter the skin, thereby causing a worsening of the skin disorder.
In Australia, about six million people suffer from eczema and about six hundred thousand people have psoriasis. In the USA, over 32 million people have eczema and 7.5 million suffer from psoriasis. Present statistics suggest that eczema sufferers have tripled in the past 30 years and one in five children suffer. It is generally accepted in medical opinion, that there is currently no known cure for eczema or psoriasis, and symptoms can endure a sufferer's lifetime.
Skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis can be incredibly painful and embarrassing, and lifelong. Eczema symptoms generally include incredible itchiness and sufferers typically have poor sleep and liken it to “sleeping on an ants' nest.” Eczema is typically characterized by itchy, dry, red, flaky patches of skin, which appear most commonly on the face, neck, elbows, wrists, knees, behind the ears, and on the scalp. Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease where skin cells build up and form thick patches which are itchy and unsightly. In numerous instances, children and infants suffering from congenital eczema have been reported with significant delayed development in speech and growth.
Present treatments for eczema and psoriasis include the application of moisturizers between four to six times daily. Healthcare professionals prescribe topical hydrocortisone however this treatment is usually discontinued after seven days, and it is considered a risk for use on children under two years or on irritated or broken skin. Eczema is irritated and broken skin, and sufferers are often under two years. In any case it is known that topical steroids do not cure eczema and often they are applied for years which can result in permanent thinning of the skin, stretch marks, cataracts (if used near eyes) and Cushing's syndrome.
Topical immunosuppressants (topical calcineurin inhibitors) are sometimes prescribed to reduce eczema and psoriasis symptoms. Such products however do not provide a cure, and medical practitioners are hesitant to prescribe immunosuppressants due to documented side-effects. In particular, in 2006, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns on product packaging that “a small number of malignancies (skin cancer and lymphoma) have been reported in patients using topical calcineurin inhibitors.”
Typically, more than half of eczema sufferers present with salicylate sensitivity, which worsens after ingesting salicylate-containing foods (found in many healthy foods, fruits and vegetables, sauces and juices). Salicylate- and multiple chemical-sensitivities reduce a person's quality of life and long term adherence to low salicylate diets can be restrictive and can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Eczema sufferers are also known to have elevated histamine levels in the blood combined with a reduced capacity to detoxify these histamines.
Certain nutrients are considered to be of significant benefit to patients suffering from skin disorders such as eczema. However, it is oftentimes difficult to achieve the right balance of nutrients in a patient's diet in order to prevent and/or treat such disorders. This is particularly true in cases where certain nutrients included in a patient's diet can compete for absorption with other nutrients, thereby negating the benefits of the other nutrients.
One object of the present invention is therefore to ameliorate one or more of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide a useful alternative to improved treatment for skin diseases such as eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.
It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.